JP7579063B2 - Beer-flavored beverages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beer-flavored beverage.

Beer-flavored beverages contain purines derived from the malt used as an ingredient. In recent years, with the growing health consciousness aimed at preventing gout, there is a demand for beer-flavored beverages with a low purine content, and attempts have been made to produce beer-flavored beverages with a low purine content by using purine adsorbents made of activated carbon or white clay (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2003-169658 A JP 2012-125205 A

However, although the methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 reduce purines, further improvements are required in terms of retaining aroma components.

The present invention relates to providing a beer-flavored beverage that is low in xanthine and has a beer-like flavor.

The present invention relates to a beer-taste beverage in which the mass ratio of the ethyl caproate content to the xanthine content (ethyl caproate/xanthine) is 0.070 or more.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a beer-flavored beverage that is low in xanthine and has a beer-like flavor.

The beer-taste beverage of the present invention contains xanthine and ethyl caproate.

From the viewpoint of reducing purines, the xanthine content in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 1.4 ppm or less, more preferably 1.0 ppm or less, and even more preferably 0.9 ppm or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but may be 0 ppm or more, 0.1 ppm or more, or any combination of these ranges.

In this specification, purines refer to a general term for compounds that have a purine skeleton. In addition to the purine bases adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine, purine nucleosides such as adenosine and guanosine, and purine nucleotides such as adenylic acid and guanylic acid are also included in purines. In this specification, the content of purines is measured using a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) after hydrolysis with perchloric acid ("Guide to microanalysis of purines in alcoholic beverages" Japan Food Research Laboratories http://www.jfrl.or.jp/item/nutrition/post-31.html).

From the viewpoint of flavor, the content of ethyl caproate in the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is preferably 100 ppb or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be 1500 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 500 ppb or less, 300 ppb or less, or any combination of these ranges. The content of ethyl caproate can be increased by selecting the type or strain of the microorganism to be fermented according to the desired quality of sake, or by setting the brewing process conditions such as fermentation. In this specification, the content of ethyl caproate is measured using a gas chromatograph equipped with an FID detector according to the method of "8.22 Low-boiling point aroma components" in the BCOJ Beer Analysis Method (published by the Brewing Society of Japan Foundation, edited by the International Technical Committee (Analysis Committee) of the Brewers Association of Japan, published on April 1, 1996).

In the beer-taste beverage of the present invention, the mass ratio of the ethyl caproate content to the xanthine content (ethyl caproate/xanthine) is 0.070 or more from the viewpoint of flavor, preferably 0.080 or more, more preferably 0.090 or more, even more preferably 0.10 or more, and even more preferably 0.11 or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be 15 or less, 10 or less, 1.0 or less, 0.50 or less, 0.30 or less, or the like, or any combination of these ranges.

In this specification, the term "beer-taste beverage" refers to a carbonated beverage with a beer-like flavor. In other words, unless otherwise specified, the term "beer-taste beverage" in this specification includes all carbonated beverages with a beer flavor, including alcohol-containing beer-taste beverages and non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages. In this case, alcohol refers to ethanol and does not include aliphatic alcohol. The ethanol content in alcohol-containing beer-taste beverages is preferably 1% to 10% by volume, but is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the origin of the alcohol content in beer-taste beverages is not limited to fermented or non-fermented. Furthermore, a non-alcoholic beer-taste beverage is a beer-taste beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1%, and preferably does not substantially contain alcohol. Here, beverages that are substantially alcohol-free do not exclude beverages that contain an extremely small amount of alcohol that is undetectable. Beverages with an alcohol content of 0.0% when rounded off, and especially beverages with an alcohol content of 0.00% when rounded off, are included in non-alcoholic beer-taste beverages.

In this specification, the alcohol content (v/v%) of a beverage means the alcohol content (v/v%), and can be measured by any known method, for example, a vibration density meter. Specifically, a sample is prepared by removing carbon dioxide gas from the beverage by filtration or ultrasonic waves, and the sample is then distilled over a direct flame. The density of the resulting distillate is measured at 15°C, and the alcohol content can be calculated by conversion using "Table 2: Conversion Table of Alcohol Content, Density (15°C) and Specific Gravity (15/15°C)" which is an appendix to the National Tax Agency Specified Analysis Method (National Tax Agency Ordinance No. 6 of 2007, revised June 22, 2007). For low concentrations of alcohol content less than 1.0%, a commercially available alcohol measuring device or gas chromatography may be used.

The method for producing the beer-taste beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but an example is a production method in which a purine removal step using an adsorbent is carried out during the production process of the beer-taste beverage, and the purine removal step is carried out under a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

The purine removal step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment is a step of removing purines using an adsorbent. The purine removal step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment can be performed at any step in the manufacturing process of the beer-taste beverage, and may be performed multiple times. The purine removal step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment is performed by adding an adsorbent to the content liquid, and dispersing the adsorbent in the content liquid by a dispersion means under a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. As a dispersion mode, a part of the added adsorbent may be settled, but it is preferable that all of the added adsorbent is dispersed. In this specification, the content liquid refers to the liquid from which purines are to be removed. The content liquid depends on which step the purine removal step is performed in, and examples of the content liquid include saccharified liquid, wort, mash, beer-taste beverage, and suspensions of other raw materials that make up the beer-taste beverage.

Examples of adsorbents used in the manufacturing method of this embodiment include white clay, activated carbon, and synthetic resins, and two or more of these may be used in combination. From the viewpoint of xanthine removal efficiency, white clay is preferred. Examples of white clay include acid clay, which is a clay containing montmorillonite as a main component, and activated white clay, which is acid-treated acid clay, and activated white clay is preferred.

The amount of adsorbent added to the content liquid in the manufacturing method of this embodiment may be adjusted according to the amount of purines in the content liquid and is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of xanthine removal efficiency, the amount is preferably 1 ppm or more, more preferably 5 ppm or more, and even more preferably 10 ppm or more. From the viewpoint of cost and productivity, the amount is preferably 20,000 ppm or less, more preferably 15,000 ppm or less, and even more preferably 10,000 ppm or less, and any combination of these ranges may be used.

The pressure in the purine removal step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is higher than atmospheric pressure, but it is preferable to carry out the process under the following pressurized conditions in addition to atmospheric pressure. From the viewpoint of retaining aroma components, the pressurized conditions are preferably 0.5 kPa or more, more preferably 1.0 kPa or more, and even more preferably 1.5 kPa or more, and from the viewpoint of the effect on yeast during fermentation and ease of liquid transfer to the next step, the pressurized conditions are preferably 200 kPa or less, more preferably 150 kPa or less, and even more preferably 100 kPa or less, and any combination of these ranges may be used.

Examples of pressurizing methods include a method in which the tank's pressure valve is preset and carbon dioxide produced during fermentation is used, and a method in which gas such as carbon dioxide is injected from the outside to increase pressure.

Examples of dispersion means in the manufacturing method of this embodiment include stirring, bubbling, and circulating contact within the process. For example, a method of stirring in a container equipped with a stirrer while generating convection, or a method of injecting a gas such as carbon dioxide into a container to generate convection. In addition, circulating contact within the process refers to a method of adding the contents liquid and an adsorbent to a container equipped with a looped pipe and maintaining a dispersed state by circulating the contents within the pipe, for example, a method of equipping a sake storage tank with a looped pipe and circulating the stored sake together with the adsorbent. In addition, as a dispersion means, convection generated by fermentation may be used for dispersion. Preferred is an embodiment that utilizes bubbling or convection due to fermentation.

The dispersion rate of the adsorbent in the content liquid according to the manufacturing method of this embodiment is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, more preferably 20% or more, more preferably 30% or more, more preferably 40% or more, more preferably 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, more preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more, more preferably 90% or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 100% or less, or may be any combination of these ranges. In this specification, the dispersion rate of the adsorbent in the content liquid indicates the degree of dispersion of the adsorbent at a position half the height of the liquid level of the content liquid, and is measured and calculated by the method described in the Examples below.

The dispersion processing time in the purine removal step in the manufacturing method of this embodiment is, from the viewpoint of xanthine removal efficiency, preferably 15 minutes or more, more preferably 1 hour or more, and even more preferably 3 hours or more, and from the viewpoint of productivity, is preferably 10 hours or less, more preferably 7 hours or less, and even more preferably 5 hours or less, and may be any combination of these ranges.

In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, an enzyme treatment step in which nucleosidase treatment is performed can be performed simultaneously with or before the purine removal step. The enzyme treatment step can be performed at any step in the manufacturing process of a beer-taste beverage, but it is preferable to perform it before the end of fermentation from the viewpoint of allowing the yeast to assimilate the purine bases obtained by the enzyme treatment. The enzyme treatment conditions can be, for example, an enzyme added in the saccharification step and treatment performed under saccharification temperature conditions, or an enzyme added in the fermentation step and treatment performed under fermentation temperature conditions. Treatment can also be performed under a combination of these conditions.

The manufacturing method of this embodiment is similar to the manufacturing method of a general beer-taste beverage, except that it includes a purine removal step. Examples of manufacturing modes for beer-taste beverages are given below. Beer-taste beverages can be manufactured using either malt or no malt as a raw material, and can be manufactured as follows.

To produce an alcohol-containing beer-flavored beverage using malt as a raw material, first, enzymes such as amylase are added as necessary to a mixture containing malt and other wheat, as well as other grains, starch, sugars, bittering agents, or coloring agents, and water as necessary, and gelatinization and saccharification are performed, followed by filtration to obtain a saccharified liquid. Hops and bittering agents are added as necessary to the saccharified liquid, which is then boiled and solids such as coagulated proteins are removed in a clarifying tank. As an alternative to this saccharified liquid, hops may be added to malt extract and warm water, and then boiled. Hops may be mixed at any stage from the start of boiling to the end of boiling. Known conditions may be used for the saccharification process, boiling process, solids removal process, and the like. Known conditions may be used for the fermentation and storage processes. The resulting fermented liquid is filtered, and carbon dioxide gas is added to the resulting filtrate. The liquid is then filled into a container and sterilized to obtain the desired beer-flavored beverage. Grain-derived spirits may also be added as an alcohol component. Spirits refers to alcoholic beverages obtained by fermenting grains such as wheat, rice, buckwheat, and corn using yeast and then distilling them. Wheat is the preferred grain used as the raw material for spirits. In each of the above processes, the purine removal process may be carried out at any stage up to the filling stage, but from the viewpoint of purine removal efficiency, it is preferable to carry out the process during fermentation/storage or filtration.

In the case of a beer-flavored beverage containing alcohol that is produced without using malt as a raw material, liquid sugar containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source as an amino acid-containing material other than barley or malt, hops, a coloring, etc. are mixed with warm water to form a liquid sugar solution. The liquid sugar solution is boiled. When hops are used as a raw material, hops may be mixed into the liquid sugar solution during boiling, not before the start of boiling. As an alternative to this saccharified liquid, hops may be added to an extract using a raw material other than malt and warm water, and then the mixture is boiled. Hops may be mixed at any stage from the start of boiling to the end of boiling. Known conditions may be used for the fermentation and storage process. The fermented liquid obtained is filtered, and carbon dioxide gas is added to the filtrate obtained. The product is then filled into a container and sterilized to obtain the desired beer-flavored beverage. In addition, spirits derived from grains may be added as an alcohol component. In each of the above processes, the purine removal process may be performed at any stage up to filling, but from the viewpoint of purine removal efficiency, it is preferable to perform the process during fermentation and storage or filtration.

Non-fermented, alcohol-containing beer-taste beverages may or may not use malt, and may be those in which the alcohol content of the final product is adjusted by adding raw material alcohol or the like. The raw material alcohol may be added at any step from the saccharification step to the filling step. Spirits derived from grains may also be added as an alcohol component. In each of the above steps, the purine removal step may be performed at any step up to the filling step, but from the viewpoint of purine removal efficiency, it is preferable to perform it in a step after the end of boiling.

A non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage produced using malt as a raw material is first prepared by adding enzymes such as amylase as necessary to a mixture containing malt and other wheat, as well as other grains, starch, sugars, bittering agents, or coloring agents as necessary, and water, and then gelatinizing and saccharifying the mixture, filtering the mixture, and obtaining a saccharified liquid. Hops and bittering agents are added as necessary to the saccharified liquid, which is then boiled and solids such as coagulated proteins are removed in a clarifying tank. As an alternative to this saccharified liquid, hops may be added to malt extract and warm water, and then boiled. Hops may be mixed at any stage from the start of boiling to before the end of boiling. Known conditions may be used for the saccharification process, boiling process, solids removal process, and other processes. After boiling, the wort obtained is filtered, and carbon dioxide gas is added to the filtrate obtained. The mixture is then filled into a container and sterilized to obtain the desired non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage. In each of the above processes, the purine removal process may be performed at any stage up to filling, but from the viewpoint of purine removal efficiency, it is preferable to perform the process after the end of boiling.

When producing a non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage that does not use malt as a raw material, first, liquid sugar containing a carbon source, a nitrogen source as an amino acid-containing material other than barley or malt, hops, coloring, etc. are mixed with warm water to form a liquid sugar solution. The liquid sugar solution is boiled. When hops are used as a raw material, hops may be mixed into the liquid sugar solution during boiling, not before the start of boiling. Carbon dioxide gas is added to the liquid sugar solution after boiling. The liquid sugar solution is then filled into containers and sterilized to obtain the desired non-alcoholic beer-flavored beverage. In each of the above steps, the purine removal step may be performed at any step up to filling, but from the viewpoint of purine removal efficiency, it is preferably performed in a step after the end of boiling.

In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, an aliphatic alcohol may be added from the viewpoint of imparting a feeling of alcohol. The aliphatic alcohol is not particularly limited as long as it is a known one, but an aliphatic alcohol having 4 to 5 carbon atoms is preferable. In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, preferred aliphatic alcohols include those having 4 carbon atoms such as 2-methyl-1-propanol and 1-butanol, and those having 5 carbon atoms such as 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-pentanol, and 2-pentanol. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The content of the aliphatic alcohol having 4 to 5 carbon atoms is preferably 0.0002 to 0.0007% by mass, more preferably 0.0003 to 0.0006% by mass. In this specification, the content of the aliphatic alcohol can be measured using a headspace gas chromatography method.

(Acidulant)
As the acidulant used in the manufacturing method of this embodiment, it is preferable to use one or more acids selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, and malic acid. In addition, in the manufacturing method of this embodiment, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, glacial acetic acid, etc. can also be used as acids other than the above acids. These can be used without restrictions as long as they are approved for addition to foods. In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, it is preferable to use a combination of lactic acid from the viewpoint of appropriately imparting a mellow sour taste and phosphoric acid from the viewpoint of appropriately imparting a slightly pungent sour taste.

The content of the acidulant in the beer-taste beverage obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment, calculated as citric acid, is preferably 200 ppm or more, more preferably 550 ppm or more, and even more preferably 700 ppm or more, from the viewpoint of imparting a beer taste, and is preferably 15,000 ppm or less, more preferably 5,500 ppm or less, and even more preferably 2,000 ppm or less, from the viewpoint of sourness. Therefore, in this embodiment, the content of the acidulant, calculated as citric acid, is preferably in the range of 200 ppm to 15,000 ppm, preferably 550 ppm to 5,500 ppm, and more preferably 700 ppm to 1,500 ppm. In this specification, the citric acid equivalent amount refers to the amount calculated from the acidity of each acidulant based on the acidity of citric acid. For example, the citric acid equivalent amount equivalent to 100 ppm of lactic acid is 120 ppm, the citric acid equivalent amount equivalent to 100 ppm of phosphoric acid is 200 ppm, and the citric acid equivalent amount equivalent to 100 ppm of malic acid is 125 ppm.

The amount of acidulant contained in a beer-flavored beverage is calculated by analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or other methods.

(hop)
In the production method of this embodiment, hops can be used as part of the raw materials. Hops are desirably used as part of the raw materials because the flavor tends to be similar to that of beer. When using hops, ordinary pelleted hops, powdered hops, and hop extracts used in the production of beer and the like can be appropriately selected and used according to the desired flavor. In addition, processed hop products such as isosiform hops and reduced hops may also be used. The hops used in the production method of this embodiment include these. In addition, the amount of hops added is not particularly limited, but is typically about 0.0001 to 1% by mass of the total amount of the beverage.

(Other ingredients)
In the manufacturing method of this embodiment, other raw materials may be used as desired. For example, sweeteners (including high-intensity sweeteners), bittering agents, flavorings, yeast extracts, coloring agents such as caramel coloring, plant-extracted saponin-based substances such as soybean saponin and quillaja saponin, plant protein and peptide-containing substances such as corn and soybeans, animal proteins such as whey, seasonings such as dietary fiber and amino acids, and antioxidants such as ascorbic acid may be used as necessary within a range that does not impair the effects of this embodiment.

The pH of the beer-taste beverage obtained by this manufacturing method is preferably 3.0 to 5.0, more preferably 3.0 to 4.5, and even more preferably 3.0 to 4.0, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the beverage.

(Packaged beverages)
The beer-taste beverage obtained by the production method of this embodiment can be packaged in containers. There are no limitations on the type of container, and the beverage can be filled into a sealed container such as a bottle, can, barrel, or plastic bottle to produce a packaged beverage.

The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Note that unless there is a description that pressure was applied in the purine removal process, it was carried out at normal pressure (101.3 kPa).

Preparation example: Preparation of wort Malt, hops, water, sugar, and dietary fiber were mixed to obtain wort. In each test group, fermentation and contact with the adsorbent were carried out as described below, and then the adsorbent concentration was measured. A beer-taste beverage was then obtained by filtration, and the xanthine and ethyl caproate in the beer-taste beverage were analyzed.

Reference Example 1
Yeast was added to the wort obtained in the Preparation Example and fermented for 7 days. After that, the yeast was removed by centrifugation and then filtered to obtain a beer-taste beverage.

Comparative Example 1
Yeast was added to the wort obtained in the preparation example, and fermented for 7 days. After that, the yeast was removed by centrifugation, and activated carbon was added to a concentration of 3000 ppm, and the mixture was gently stirred to make the activated carbon uniform. The mixture was then left to stand for 3 hours to contact with the activated carbon. After the 3-hour contact, a portion of the mixture was taken as a sample for measuring the dispersion rate. The mixture was then filtered to remove the activated carbon, and a beer-taste beverage was obtained.

Comparative Example 2
A beer-taste beverage was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that activated clay was used instead of activated carbon.

Example 1
Yeast was added to the wort obtained in the preparation example and fermented for 7 days. The yeast was then removed by centrifugation, and activated clay was added to a concentration of 3000 ppm. The pressure was then increased to atmospheric pressure plus an additional 1.5 kPa, and carbon dioxide gas was blown into the bottom of the vessel under pressurized conditions for 3 hours of contact while dispersing. After 3 hours of contact, a sample was taken to measure the dispersion rate. Filtration was then performed to remove the clay, and a beer-taste beverage was obtained.

<Measurement of dispersion ratio>
The samples for measuring the dispersion ratio obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were subjected to a transmittance measurement at 660 nm.
<Measurement of the dispersibility of white clay>
A calibration curve of transmittance and clay concentration was prepared using samples in which a known concentration of clay had been suspended. In Example 1, samples were taken from half the height of the liquid surface just before the end of the dispersion treatment, and in Comparative Example 2, samples were taken after leaving the solution for 3 hours. When measuring the transmittance, the samples were stirred uniformly just before the measurement. The obtained transmittance results were applied to the calibration curve to determine the clay concentration in the sample. The dispersion rate was calculated from the obtained clay concentration and the added clay concentration according to the following formula.
Dispersion rate of white clay (%) = 100 x concentration of white clay in sample / concentration of added white clay <Measurement of dispersion rate of activated carbon>
Granular activated carbon was crushed into powder with a hammer, and a sample was prepared by suspending activated carbon of a known concentration in advance using the crushed powder. In Comparative Example 1, sampling was performed at a position half the height of the liquid surface just before the end of the 3-hour standing. The sampled liquid was centrifuged, the supernatant was removed, and the remaining activated carbon was crushed into powder with a hammer. These were returned to the original supernatant to form a sample. When measuring the transmittance, the sample was uniformly stirred just before the measurement. The obtained transmittance was applied to the calibration curve to determine the activated carbon concentration in the sample. The dispersion rate was calculated based on the obtained activated carbon concentration and the added activated carbon concentration according to the following formula.
Dispersion rate of activated carbon (%) = 100 x concentration of activated carbon in sample / concentration of activated carbon added

As can be seen from Table 1, in Example 1, where the purine removal process was carried out by pressurizing and dispersing, a beer-flavored beverage was obtained that had a high amount of ethyl caproate and a beer-like flavor, despite having less xanthine than Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which were not pressurized or dispersed. In addition, the same effect was confirmed when the activated clay was dispersed and contacted under higher pressure conditions (normal pressure + 100 kPa).

The present invention makes it possible to provide a beer-flavored beverage that is low in xanthine and has a beer-like flavor.

Claims (1)

A beer-taste beverage having a xanthine content of 1.4 ppm or less, an ethyl caproate content of 100 ppb or more, and a mass ratio of the ethyl caproate content to the xanthine content (ethyl caproate/xanthine) of 0.070 or more.